Picking Peaches

Story by Lifestyle Staff | Photos by Topograph

One of the best treats on a hot summer day is a freshly picked peach or nectarine! Stone fruit get their name from their center pit (called a stone), and are at their peak during the warm season. Read on for stone fruit 101 and recipe ideas for the bagful you take home from the farmers market or neighborhood fruit stand.

Yellow Nectarine

Balanced flavor with layers of both sweetness and tartness. They are slightly tangier with more acid and less sugar compared to white nectarines.

GOOD FOR: Canning, freezing and baking. They are also delicious eaten fresh or added to smoothies and foods such as fruit salads.

RECIPE IDEAS

Nectarine and Arugula Salad

Grilled Chicken with Nectarine Relish

Spicy and Sweet Nectarine Crisp

Nectarine Cupcakes

Black Plum

A small, soft fruit with dark purple skin and lots of juice. They have a mild taste that’s balanced between a sweet and tart flavor.

GOOD FOR: Sorbets, jellies, sauces, and salads. Can be used for baking but does not hold up their shape as well as other fruits.

RECIPE IDEAS

Black Plum Salad with Black Pepper and Parmesan

Black Plum Anise Jam

Black Plum-Blackberry Mojito

Yellow Peach

The classic peach flavor, balancing sugar and acid for a characteristically tangy flavor. As they ripen, they lose acidity and become more sweet.

GOOD FOR: Canning, due to keeping flavor and holding texture when heated. Rich in vitamin A.

RECIPE IDEAS

Grilled Peach Iced Tea

Peach and Basil Salad

Peach and Pork Tacos

Peach Bruschetta

White Nectarine

Contain more sugar and less acid than yellow nectarines, creating a pleasant sweet flavor. White nectarines lack the acidity that yellow nectarines have, thus they are referred to as “sub-acid”.

GOOD FOR: Canning, freezing and baking.

RECIPE IDEAS

White Nectarine Cake with Honey Syrup

White Nectarine and Vanilla Sorbet

Red Plum

Smaller in size and firmer with red-toned skin and yellowy flesh. Have a tart tinge with a mildly sweet flavor that gets sweeter and softer as they ripen.

GOOD FOR: Fresh eating, canning, and cooking.

RECIPE IDEAS

Balsamic Goat-Cheese Grilled Red Plums

Lemon Red Plum Sorbet

Red Plum Oatmeal Crisp

White Peach

Low in acid, making their natural sweetness more pronounced. Juicier than yellow peaches. Have a delicate, floral sweetness.

GOOD FOR: Eating fresh or putting on the grill. Doesn’t hold up well when baked, making fresh recipes ideal.

RECIPE IDEAS

Bourbon-White Peach Popsicle

Grilled Spiced White Peaches

Peach Mango Caprese Salad

Apricot

Subtle tangy notes and delicate flesh with low acidity and a sweet-floral flavor despite not being overly juicy. The softer and riper picks have the sweetest flavor.

GOOD FOR: Snacking on whole, baking, cooking, and grilling. Low calories with dense nutrition make them a great fruit to snack on.

RECIPE IDEAS

Apricot Shortbread

Apricot Almond Baked Oatmeal

Apricot Balsamic Pork Chops Apricot Crisp

Stone fruit provided by Peterson Family Fruit.